Bodybuilding Competitions in Nigeria

Checked 29 September 2026

IFBB Mr. Universe Nigeria

Nigeria’s IFBB flagship show is held at the Muson Centre in Lagos. In 2023 it became the first contest to award IFBB professional cards on Nigerian soil.

Mr Flex Nigeria champions

Recent winners of Mr Flex Nigeria include Ifesinachi Ibenne (2015/2016), Kazeem Abdulrasaq (2023) and Abu Umar Sadiq (2024).

From our archive

Past competitions in our archive

The sport of bodybuilding is gradually improving in Nigeria and to promote it as one of the popular sports in the country, some competitions were and are being fixed by promoters of the game in various locations in Nigeria, some of the past competitions include;

• Mr. Flex Nigeria Body Building Contests/Competitions held on the 1st day of November 2015.
• National Bodybuilding, Physique and Bikini Championship, Hosted by Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation of Nigeria (ABBFN) on the 30th September 2017 at Swiss International Hotel, Port Harcourt.

• National Fitness Day Lagos Nigeria 27 August - 30 August 2017 hosted by Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation of Nigeria in Lagos, Nigeria.
• 4th Anniversary in collaboration with ABBFN at Swiss International Mabisel Hosted by Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation of Nigeria (ABBFN).
• National Fitness Challenge Contest May 2017.
• NABBA West Africa National Championships.

Checked 30 September 2026

Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games and African Games

Bodybuilding is not a Commonwealth Games or African Games sport, so Nigerian bodybuilders compete at IFBB events, African championships and the pro shows on this page instead. Nigeria’s many Games medals in strength sports come from weightlifting and para powerlifting.

The next African Games are in Cairo, Egypt, from 20 January to 7 February 2027. See the full medal stories on our Commonwealth Games and African Games pages.